


Cross Your Heart

by gin_tonic



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Community: snape_potter, M/M, Secret Snarry Swap 2013
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-13
Updated: 2014-01-13
Packaged: 2018-01-08 15:53:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1134609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gin_tonic/pseuds/gin_tonic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kingsley sends Harry and Severus on a research mission. While they are supposed to check an area for plants used in an illegal potion, they are attacked – and things speed up more than they expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cross Your Heart

**Author's Note:**

> I owe a gazillion thanks (at least) to my wonderful beta [](http://sassy_cat.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://sassy_cat.livejournal.com/)**sassy_cat**! Thank you so much! ♥

Kingsley hadn't even been remotely covert about it. He'd bloody _grinned_ when he'd given Harry the assignment. Harry sighed and smoothed his red Auror robes a last time before stepping close to the Apparition area where Snape was already waiting for him.

"I'll say it again, Potter," Snape said. "I do not need a babysitter. I'm entirely capable of checking whether or not the ingredients for the _Viscera Torrentes_ potion actually grow in the damn forest by myself."

Harry raised his hands. "Not my call. I just follow orders."

"Right. Because you're so good at following orders." Snape sniffed. "I've been practicing magic since before you were born. I hardly need _you_ to –"

"I told you, it's not my call." Harry blamed George, really. George and his incredible ability to keep the booze coming. It had only been George, Charlie, Kingsley, and him on Guy Fawkes Night – everyone else had already gone to bed when they'd still been sitting in the kitchen. And what with the steady refills of his drinks, Harry, of course, had to go and spill his guts about Snape, making him feel like a horde of Doxies was wreaking havoc in his stomach – and how he wanted to grab and snog the man. Had he known Kingsley loved matchmaking... He would have been more careful. Harry rubbed his hand over his face. "Come on, let's do this."

Snape sighed and extended his arm. Harry stared at it, then extended his own. "Potter, are you serious?"

"I'm your armed escort. I'll be the one to Apparate."

"Do you even know where to go?" Snape raised one of those damn eyebrows. Thank Merlin the man didn't know what the movement did to Harry's dick.

With a flaming red face, Harry said, "Of course. Macclesfield Forest." Harry had made sure to look it up beforehand, expecting a situation just like this one.

"And do you know where exactly we should start? Or do you want us to comb through the entire forest?"

Harry swallowed. "Err..."

"Eloquent as ever." Snape rolled his eyes. "Now, link your bloody arm with mine so I can Apparate us to the correct clearing – the one with the most chances to find Giant Hogweed, due to climate and vegetation."

******

  
Harry had always hated Side-Along Apparition. Ever since Disapparating with Dumbledore for the first time, the feeling of being squeezed through a tube too narrow for his body and the following nausea had been constant companions whenever he was forced to do a Side-Along. He barely managed to keep his breakfast in and had to take a couple of moments to breathe in deeply. The air was heavy with the promise of snow; a clear, crisp scent hung between the fir trees. By the time Harry had recuperated, Snape had already started to check the clearing for Giant Hogweed.

The plant was nasty stuff by itself, but combined with a live Salamander and many other ingredients that Harry did not particularly want to think about, it had proven to be not only the new, hot thing on the black market for potions but also responsible for many very awful deaths. The latter had called both Harry and Snape to the drawing board. Upon hearing the potion's name for the first time, Harry had wondered why the name _Viscera Torrentes_ – meaning _Burning Insides_ – wasn't enough to scare off potential users. But it appeared that either their victims' knowledge of Latin wasn't anything to write home about, or that junkies couldn't be deterred from using a cheap, fast-acting drug by something as benign as a name. Fact was that the drug had various hallucinogenic effects and would make the user feel as great as anyone possibly could. That was, until the inevitable crash came. And for many that crash held the side effect of the potion that would eventually, after hours of agony, kill their victims.

Their search for the potion's makers and distributors had led them here into this forest. Harry knew their chances were slim of finding anything relating to the case, but he wouldn't and couldn't give up hope. Snape's resources had said he'd find the plant here. Once they had the plant, they could take samples and post lookouts to make sure to follow and arrest the criminals the next time they came here for a harvest. "Have you found anything yet?"

"We've just arrived, Potter."

"Yeah, well, you'd think Giant Hogweed would be, you know, giant and therefore easy to find."

"How very droll, Potter."

Harry rolled his eyes and continued scanning their surroundings. "Whatever." Great comeback, Harry. "I would like to get this done and over with."

"Got somewhere to be?"

Did that question sound sharper than usual? Harry shook his head. "No, I just get a weird feeling being in these woods."

Snape snorted. "Harry Potter, having weird feelings since 1980."

Harry gave Snape a sharp look, trying to find out what Snape was talking about. But Snape was looking behind a bush and Harry found no answer. "Yeah, well, my weird feelings have saved my arse a couple of times already. I've learned to trust my gut."

Snape huffed and turned around. "Then trust it. Be vigilant. In fact, I urge you to be. But quit whining. I've got work to do." Snape dusted off his robe and pointed. "It's not here, but we should have more luck deeper inside the woods."

"If you say so."

They passed an abandoned cabin on their way into the woods. Harry checked it for signs of life, but it was as empty as it appeared. Only slightly comforted, Harry followed Snape into the thicket. He wished he would be able to calm down and chase away this feeling of dread, but he couldn't. All his instincts screamed at him to watch out and Harry had learned long ago that his gut feelings held quite some measure of merit.

A snowflake – pure and white, whiter even than the ones Harry usually saw in London – slowly sailed past him. Harry followed its movements, then looked up. What was coming down looked like it would turn into a proper snowstorm sooner or later.

"We should get a move on," Harry said as he moved to overtake Snape. He didn't get far: First it was a feeling like something was stinging at the back of his neck. Then he noticed a smell like burning gunpowder. "Snape." Someone had just Apparated there. Someone who was now preparing to curse them, hit them with foul spells.

"I know." Both held their wands at the ready. "Giant Hogweed, over there. Just a quick sample, then we can get out of here."

"Hurry."

Snape strode over to the Giant Hogweed, deftly cut off a piece and stored it in a satchel without touching it. A red streak of light missed him by inches.

"Fuck!" Harry dodged another curse and sent one of his own into the woods. " _Protego!_ " Yellow light exploded against his shield as Snape sent hex after hex into the direction it had come from. More spells from more directions. Harry grabbed Snape, focussed and turned – and nothing happened.

"Anti-Apparition wards," Snape snarled. Shouts and curses. They ducked – " _Protego!_ " – but a ray of purplish red light got through and hit Harry square in the shoulder. He screamed and fell, but Snape grabbed him and pulled him upright again.

"Focus, Potter!"

Harry blinked, but the world was blurry with curses and snowflake chaos.

"Focus, dammit!"

Snape got them moving and Harry, out of pure instinct, raised his wand and cast a Protego that protected them from three curses at once. The impact made his wand-hand hurt, but not as much as his bloody shoulder already did.

They stumbled more than they ran, dodging spells and zigzagging through the undergrowth to avoid their suddenly appearing opponents. With no Disapparitions being possible, there was nowhere to run – save the abandoned cabin. Snape dragged Harry through the door, let go of him and immediately began setting the wards to protect them. Gritting his teeth against the pain, Harry concentrated all his magical energy on his wand and slammed it down onto the ground, pressing it tight against the floor as if he was trying to merge the two of them together. His energy rushed out, through the floor and into the walls, windows and doors of the house.

"There, they shouldn't be able to get through that," Harry said and tried to hold in the bile that now attempted to creep up his throat. He could have used all that energy for healing – it definitely would have been damn handy right about now – but there was nothing for it. If those men out there got to them, healing wouldn't be an issue anymore.

Snape seemed perplexed for a second, maybe, before he strode over to check on Harry. "No time for proper medical attention," Snape said and cut Harry's robe and shirt off his body with two quick, precise wand-movements. Harry nodded. Field healing would have to do; it wouldn't be the first time, either.

"How bad is it?" Harry asked. "It almost felt like the curse burned right through me."

"Don't be melodramatic." Snape ran his wand-tip slowly over the wound. "It's a deep flesh-wound that requires healing potions and proper healing spell-work. As we have neither, I can't promise this won't leave any scars."

"That's fine." Really, as long as the pain lessened. And if Harry would regain this arm's functions, he was fine with another scar. It would fit in nicely with the set he already had. Snape went to work with the same diligence he applied to all his tasks, whether they were investigations or brewing potions. He started with cleaning the wound.

"You really should have ducked."

"I did." Harry pulled a face as Snape started knitting his flesh together. "But at one point it was either protecting your sorry arse or getting hit."

"... Stupid."

Harry could have mentioned that it was his job to protect Snape or that he would always see to it that Snape was safe, but he didn't. He waited for Snape to finish and for the urge to vomit to slowly recede, then he asked Snape to send his Patronus to Kingsley and ask for backup.

"A silvery doe is rather obvious, wouldn't you think?"

Harry inclined his head. "I would, but they probably already know we're inside this cabin. Besides, we have to call for backup somehow. You have more energy than me at the moment – plus, our Patronuses are so similar that it makes no difference who casts the spell."

Moments later the doe had taken form. "Kingsley. We're in a cabin in the north-eastern part of Macclesfield Forest. We're surrounded by at least seven hostiles – most likely all connected to _'Viscera Torrentes'_. We're safe for now but need assistance immediately. Potter is injured, but stable," Snape dictated and sent the doe off.

Harry sighed in relief. Help wouldn't be long now. "Thanks."

Snape nodded, then turned to Harry's injury again. Harry was sure Snape had done all he could to heal Harry. The shoulder still hurt and itched, but Harry already noticed that he had some movement back. That was probably as good as it would get for now. Hopefully the Healers would be able to do more later.

Harry searched Snape's face to find something he could talk about. He didn't want to think about who or what would be waiting for them outside or how long the wards would withstand the attacks that constantly made the wards shiver. They had a couple of hours until his wards would give, Harry was sure of it. And he wanted to spend them on something else but worry. His hand moved as if it had a mind of its own and gently, carefully squeezed Snape's forearm. Snape dislodged Harry's hand almost immediately and stepped away.

"Still with this foolishness? I thought you'd cease this after the last time."

"You remember?" Seeing as it had been almost a year ago and that Harry had been a bit more than just tipsy (just like Snape) at that time, it really came as a surprise.

Snape turned around and looked out of the window. Or pretended to. "How could I forget you accosting me after the Christmas party?"

Sure, Harry had come on to Snape, completely discounting the fact that Snape might not feel that way about him or that the staff Christmas party might not be the right place to do it. Thankfully, nobody had noticed, or Harry would have gotten an earful. "It wasn't like that."

"To me it was."

Kingsley's Patronus chose that moment to burst through the door. The lynx looked at the two of them, then opened its snout to speak. "We're getting ready to advance on the forest," it said with Kingsley's deep voice. The effect – no matter how often Harry had seen this – was quite eerie. "We'll need to go in from all sides and go about it stealthily. You'll have to hold out a while longer."

"Damn it!" Snape kicked at a broken chair. "I should have expected this!"

"They'll want to sneak up on everyone and arrest them on the spot." It was the right tactic, though Harry would have preferred to be rescued and taken to a Healer right away. But that was the glorious life of an Auror for you.

"Of course they want that!" Snape snapped. "But the forest is big and it will take them too long to come get us." Snape combed his hair back with his hand and sighed. For a while then, Snape paced the room that made up the cabin. Just some ramshackle place in the woods, Harry thought. Held together by moss and sheer impossibility. Harry, still sitting in the same spot, lit a fire in the fireplace with the flick of his wand. If Snape needed anything else, he would be the one who had to do the spell casting – Harry was all tapped out.

******

  
"Hey, Snape?" Harry waited until Snape was facing him again to pick up where they had left off when Kingsley's lynx had appeared. The Christmas party and why Snape was so bothered by the fact that Harry found him attractive. "It's already got better in the last couple of years, you know? The whole thing with accepting homosexuality – we're not despised everywhere anymore."

Snape scoffed and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"No, really. And it is still getting better. My generation is more tolerant – a lot of us are in contact with Muggles, and homosexuals are more accepted there."

Snape pounced on the topic like a wild boar on a tasty snack. "And there we have the other problem: 'Your generation.' I am – by far- too old for you."

Harry scoffed. "You're not. I've seen couples with way bigger age gaps. Besides, since when are you one of those people who care what others might think?"

"Potter. My job and social standing depend on the perception of others. I do not care about the individual opinions as such and I don't care if they like me. What I care about is getting service in shops and being treated with respect by my colleagues. If word gets out that I seduced the Wizarding world's Golden Boy, I will get neither."

Harry sighed. "I think you're painting the world darker than it actually is."

"Really? Then why have you not stepped forward and made your... affinity known to the public?"

"Because I don't give a rat's arse about the public. Everyone I care about knows I'm gay – Ron, Hermione, Kingsley, Molly and the rest of the Weasleys. And you," Harry added.

Ignoring the last comment, Snape said, "And they are okay with that?"

"Yes. Granted, it wasn't easy at first. Ron had a bit of a hard time accepting it – that was, until Ginny more or less exploded in his face about how Charlie was gay. She was the first to stand up for me in this, really."

For a moment there, Snape was speechless. "If they are so pro-homosexual, you have no doubt told your friends about your... interest in me?"

Harry shook his head. "Ron and Hermione, no. Hermione was busy, what with being pregnant, and Ron had the worst case of baby brain I've ever seen." He took a deep breath. "George, Charlie and Kingsley know, though."

Snape whirled around. "Kingsley? Merlin."

"You know he and Charlie are an item, right?"

Snape stared at him, wide-eyed. That was a no, then.

******

  
Harry finally got up, wincing at the pain in his shoulder. It would fade, he knew. Eventually, it would fade. He moved towards Snape, filled with the desire to make the most of the situation. Getting Snape alone had proven to be impossible ever since that blasted party the year before. Now, there was no running. Harry wanted clarity. He hoped this would include Snape being more than just a colleague. He wanted and needed him to be.

Hesitantly, Harry touched Snape's arm. When he made no move to dislodge Harry again, Harry put his head on Snape's shoulder. It felt good, being so close to him. And it made his heart beat quicker and his mouth become dry.

"If I'm mistaken... if you really aren't interested in me... then I'm sorry. But if you are, why are you fighting this? Don't you deserve a bit of happiness, too?"

While waiting for Snape's answer, Harry looked out the window. The snowflakes were falling quickly now and were so thick that it looked like there was a white wall outside. He could see nothing else – no movement. It was as if there was nothing in the world but them, this cabin, and the snow.

"And that happiness is supposed to be you?"

"Yes." Harry took a deep breath. "Am I wrong, then? Have I interpreted everything wrongly?"

Snape sighed. His shoulder slumped slightly, but Harry didn't know if it was defeat or relaxation causing that movement. "Merlin, Potter." Snape turned around and kissed him.

******

  
Harry hadn't counted on the ferocity of Snape's kiss. Hadn't thought he'd react with quite that much passion. But Snape pulled him as close as he physically could and _kissed_ him. Kissed him as if his life depended on it. Harry clung to Snape, losing himself in the kiss. He'd fantasised about this, but never had he expected Snape would be this passionate. Snape's hips shifted and he felt Snape's hard cock against his legs. Snape quickly tried to step away, his face light red with embarrassment. But Harry reached out and pulled him in again. He pressed a kiss to Snape's Adam's apple, feeling it move beneath his lips as Snape swallowed thickly.

"Please," Harry said and pressed his crotch against Snape to show him he felt the same.

"We can't," Snape said, not moving away. "What if they get through?"

"They won't. My wards are strong. Besides, Kingsley said they'd take a while."

Snape didn't need more convincing. He kissed Harry as if his lips were made specifically for that purpose. It was as clumsy as it was passionate. Hungry and desperate even, with teeth nipping and noses bumping. They moved backwards somehow, towards the fireplace, like moths to the flame. Snape Transfigured Harry's cut up robes into rumpled bedding, onto which they half sank, half tumbled. Harry hissed in pain as his shoulder touched the ground and quickly wriggled on top of Snape, sitting in his lap, cocks rubbing against each other through the hard fabric between them. Snape looked great like this – cheeks flushed, his hair a mess and his pupils dilated with want. There was stubble on his chin.

Harry ran his hand over Snape's chest, then unbuttoned his robe and shirt until he could finally touch Snape's skin. Snape pulled him in for another kiss while he dared to open Harry's trousers. They both groaned as he wrapped his hand around Harry's cock. Harry hurried to take Snape's dick out as well; all the while Snape began to lazily move his own hand. And then, finally, their cocks were aligned. Harry leant on his good arm to get them closer together and Snape took both penises in his hand. Up and down, up and down, a swipe on the top. He could barely take his eyes off them, as if he couldn't believe this was really happening.

"Fuck," Harry breathed and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he found Snape staring at him. Harry's hips moved in rhythm with Snape's hand, each stroke bringing him closer to the edge. It didn't take much, not with Snape touching him. He felt the familiar tingle, collecting first up in his thighs, then racing through his legs before exploding. He came with a low groan.

"Potter." In those hazy, barely conscious moments, Snape quickened his hand once more and then spilled all over his stomach. They shared a brief, tired smile, and then Harry sank down to lie half on the bedding, half on Snape. He found there was nothing more comfortable.

******

  
Using his good arm, Harry pushed himself upright and looked at Snape, who was still breathing heavily. "Tomorrow," he said, "you're going to invite me in for a cup of tea. I'll bring some food."

For a moment or two, Snape was silent. Then, to Harry's relief, he quirked an eyebrow. "Won't you be in hospital tomorrow? I'm sure they will want to do more than give you just a cursory once-over."

Harry gave a one-shouldered shrug. "I'll just discharge myself as usual."

Harry's heart missed a beat as he waited for Snape's reply. Finally it came with a curt, "Alright then."

They stayed there on the bedding next to the fire, only bothering to don their clothes somewhat, until Kingsley's Patronus came in again. "All suspects are rounded up. You can drop the wards." Then, slowly, they got up and straightened their clothes. Snape Transfigured the bedding into some robes for Harry and handed them over. Harry wrapped himself in them, stretched a bit and kissed Snape again. "Tomorrow."  


-The End-

  



End file.
